Ameliorate - Word of the Day

[Merriam-Webster]( WORD OF THE DAY [March 21, 2017](#none) ameliorate [Audio pronunciation]( verb | uh-MEE-lee-uh-rayt Definition 1 : to make better or more [tolerable]( 2 : to grow better : [improve]( Scroll down for more about ameliorate WORD GAMES AND QUIZZES: WEEKLY CHALLENGE [It's A Not Easy Green Quiz]( How many questions can you answer about the word "green"? [PLAY NOW]( Nailed this quiz? We have plenty more to try! [TAKE ME THERE [>]]( Plus: [SEE WHAT LOOKUPS ARE TRENDING NOW! [>]]( Did You Know? Ameliorate traces back to melior, the Latin adjective meaning "better," and is a synonym of the verbs [better]( and [improve](. When is it better to use ameliorate? If a situation is bad, ameliorate indicates that the conditions have been made more tolerable. Thus, one might refer to drugs that ameliorate the side effects of chemotherapy, a loss of wages ameliorated by unemployment benefits, or a harsh law ameliorated by special exceptions. Improve and better apply when something bad is being made better (as in "the weather improved" or "she bettered her lot in life"), and they should certainly be chosen over ameliorate when something good is getting better still ("he improved his successful program," "she bettered her impressive scores"). Examples of AMELIORATE Access to clean water would ameliorate living conditions within the village. "There is one variable that many childhood experts agree can ameliorate the uncertainty in the lives of 'at risk' youths. A caring adult willing to take a few hours a week for a one-on-one relationship with a child or young adult can have an enormous impact on that child's life and future success." — Alice Dubenetsky, The Vermont Eagle, 18 Jan. 2017 Name That Antonym Fill in the blanks to complete an antonym of ameliorate: e _ _ c _ r _ a _ e. [VIEW THE ANSWER [>]]( WORD GAMES Merriam-Webster's New Words Quiz Test your knowledge of our newest words. [TAKE OUR QUIZ NOW [>]]( MORE WORD FUN: [WORD GAMES [>]]( [TRENDING NOW [>]]( [WORDS AT PLAY [>]]( FOLLOW US: [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [YouTube]( [Instagram]( [Pinterest]( SHARE: [Facebook][Facebook]( [Twitter][Twitter]( [View this email in a web browser]( You are receiving this email because you opted in to receive the Merriam-Webster Word of the Day. [Unsubscribe from Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day]( [Manage your subscription settings]( Merriam-Webster, Inc. 47 Federal Street P.O. Box 281 Springfield, MA 01102 [www.merriam-webster.com](